Fuel injector



June 15, 1937. L. o. FRENCH 2,084,057

' FUEL INJECTOR Filed Feb. 23, 1937 FIG. 2. .FIG. IO.

ill $177; u-s ug; I08 m F G-l2. Fl 44 G 68 EN QR [AV-Ill z of? Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mi. mmo'ron,

Louis 0. French, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor t Ethel Quarles French, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application February 23, 1937, Serial him 127,185

12 Claims. (Cl. 299107.2)

The invention relates to fuel injectors for inplunger has a constant stroke and works-in a" barrel whose outer end acts as an outwardly opening discharge valve to control the supply of fuel to a nozzle member which in certain in- 10 stances cooperates directly therewith to determine the spray characteristics; With the present invention the valve is protected from'the direct heat of the engine and permits of the eflicient distribution of fuel to nozzles of single or 15 multiple jet form. More particularly also the pump barrel is arranged to be turned on a fixed seat during the operation of the engine so that the valve will be kept clean, thus eliminating frequent inspections and the necessity for grind- 20 ing the discharge valve. In the preferred form of the invention the pump barrel is turned during each operation of the pump plunger, and a portion of this turning may occur while the valve end of the barrel is on its seat. Also in 25 those applications to engines where a single cone shaped spray is used the injector has been greatly simplified in that the valved end of the barrel cooperates with a-nozzle plate to determine in 1 general the spray characteristics, said plate also 30 acting as a spring to hold the barrel on its 'seat, the valve'end of the barrel being grooved and the plate having a relatively large hole or orifice so that if the injector should tend to clog the hole in the plate may be cleaned out with a pin 35 or piece of wood and the abutting surfaces of the plate and barrel wiped ofi, thus permitting theinjector to be serviced while in the field.

- A further object of the invention is to provide a fuel metering injector in which the pump 40 plunger works in a barrel whose outer end acts as an outwardly opening discharge valve, saidbarrel being normally held against its seat by an apertured resilient plate associated with a fixed nozzle 'member so that the fuel is delivered 45 between the head of the valve and said plate to said nozzle member without greatly reducing its pressure after leaving the valve; the plate also simplifying the assembly of the barrel in the i0 casing and permitting of the use of a stepped one piece casing if desired.

The invention further consists in the severalfeatures hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof. Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a device embodying the invention;

Fig-2 is a transverse sectional view on an en-. larged scale taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the plunger shown in full in its inner position; 5

Fig. 3 is a detail reduced size sectional view taken on the-line 3-3 of Fig. 2; v

Fig. 4 is a detail reduced size sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail reduced'size sectional view taken on theline 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the guide for the rotator; 1

Fig. 7 is a detail reduced size sectional view taken on the line 'l-'| of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the lower end of the injector;

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the lower end of the pump barrel, parts. being broken away;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of an injector showing certain modifications;

Fig. '11 is a detail reduced size sectional view taken on the line ll--l-l of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a detail view showing a development of a part of the pump barrel shown in Fig. 10; a

Fig. v13 is-a detail reduced size sectional view taken on the line l3l3 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 8 showing certain modifications.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 9. of the drawing, the numeral l6 designates a casing, II a pump barrel, l8 2. pump plunger working in said barrel, IS a rotator, 20 a guide for said rotator, 2| pins on said guide, 22 a control sleeve slidably keyed on said casing and cooperating with said pins, 23 a nozzle plate, '24 a casing member having threaded engagement with the casing I6 and flanged to clamp the plate 23 between it and the end of the casing, 25 the iollower or guide for the plunger, and 26 a return spring for the plunger interposed between the casing and the flanged top of said follower.

The casing I6 is a tubular member having stepped bores 27 and 28 extending lengthwise thereof with a recessed valve seat 29 formed at the lower end of the bore 28, a spring seat shoulder 3!! at the upper end thereof, oppositely disposed straight slots 3| in which the pins 2| work, and spaced ports 32 and 33 connected by flats or channels 34 and 35 with passages 36 and 31 5 ber either under gravity the plunger works, ports 42 ment's hereinafter desc in its lowest position, turned to bring the port 42 into register with seat 29, a centrally disposed bore 4| in which and 43 adapted to register with. the ports 32 and 33 and an annular recess ,44 adjacent. the flange 40. The lower end of the barrel is closed off either by an integral part thereof or preferably to facilitate finishing operations on the bore 4| by a plug 45 having a tapered drive fit with the tapered outer end oi the bore 4|, and passages connect the interior of the bore 4| with the recess 44; these passages being formed by a. transverse-bore 46 through the barrel-and plug and a bore 41 in said plug intersecting the bore 46. The upper end of the barrel is provided with oppositely disposed spirally inclined slots 48 which may also have an idle straight portion 49. 7

The rotator I9 isa tubular member slidably and rotatably mounted in the bore 21 and carrying oppositely disposed pins 50 at its lower end working in the slots 46 and having concentric bores 5| and 52 and oppositely disposed key slots The guide 20 for the rotator is a tubular mem-- ber rotatably mounted in the bore 21 and having a central bore 54 and diametrically disposed legs or key portions 55 slidablyfltting the key slots 53. The plunger I8 works in the bore' 4|, has a stop flange 56 intermediate its ends, and its upper end is in threaded engagement with the follower 25 to which it is locked lower end forms a stop flange.

The control sleeve 22 is slidably mounted on the casing I6, carries a key 56 working in a lengthwise extending keyway 59 in said casing, has diametrically disposed spirally inclined slots 60 through which the ends of the pins 2| project and has an annular groove 6| to receive theends of a shifter fork (not shown) which may be manually or governor operated.

The discharge valve end of the injector is yieldingly held to its seat by a spring here shown in the form of a flat steel or suitable alloy metal disk or plate 23 having the spray opening 62 therein which is relatively large, for example two to three hundredths of an inch in diameter. This rate bears against the head end of the barrel whichportion projects slightly beyond the other parts of the head so as to provide a slight clearance, indicated at 63, between the barrel and the plate and so that when the parts are clamped together by the screwing up of the casing member 24 on the casing I6, the spring or plate 23 is put under a predetermined tension. tween the plate 23 andthe plug as tangentially disposed grooves the space '63 with a centrally disposed recess 65, which construction producesa-wide angle whirling spray, but other grooving may be used to produce other forms of spray, and the plate 23 ma'y'carry a centrally disposed nozzle member provided with a plurality of holes, or the discharge arrangebed and shown at the 45 here shown lower end of Fig. 10 and in with the oscillatory pump barrel I1. a

with this constructionwhen the plunger I8 is the" I H has been the port. 32, and fuel flows tln-irugl'i these ports and connecting passages 34, 36 and 36 from the supply or overflow'source into the pump 011N31 or pressure head and under the suction effect of the plunger as said plunger moves upwardly until the piston uncovers the port or ports 43, and thereafter fuel continues by a lock nut 51 whose plug portion of the valve I Passages are provided be- 64 connecting of the barrel of! its Fig. 14 may be used to flow into the chamber from the supply or an overflow source, through the port or ports '43. The plunger continues to move upwardly above the ports 43 to the dotted line position X, and during this time'the stop 56 which has engaged the rotator I9 moves the same upwardly in the guide 26, and as it does so, the pins 50 traveling along the slots 46 act to turn the barrel I1 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 5- to move the port 42 to a lapped position out of register with the port 32. Thereafter, downstroke, and in moving from the dotted line position to a position adjacent the ports 43 any air or excess fuel is forced out of the pump chamber through said ports to the supply or overflow connection, and then after the plunger has covthe plunger starts on its" ered'the ports43, the pressure in the pump cham- 3 ber rises to a point where it overcomes the spring tension exerted by the plate on the lower end of 46 around the head of the valve, clearance 63,

grooves 64 to the opening 62 starts. During this time the lower end of the top of the rotator I9, and as the plunger continues to move downwardly, the rotator moves with it and through the pins 50 acts to turn the sleeve I'I back to bring the port 42 into register with the port 32, and when this occurs, at some part of the remaining downstroke-of the plunger, the pressure in the pump chamber drops, the barrel I1 under the action of its closing spring and the cylinder gases moves back on its seat 29 and delivery ceases, it being noted that a groove 66 on the sleeve connects with the port 42 which groove is of a length to allow by-passing to occur during the entire delivery stroke of the plunger, but whose effect will be varied by the angular relation of the port 42 relative to the port 32.

nut 54 has engaged the If then the position of the port 42 relative to the port 32 is angularly shifted, these parts will come into register sooner or later depending upon the adjustment which is effected by longitudinally shifting the sleeve 22 relative to the easing I6, and this shifting may ,also carry the barrel through a n'o-delivery position tlon in which the recess 66 is on the opposite side of the port 32 from that shown in Fig. 5 in which instance the injection would have a variable'beginning during theoscillatory motions of the barrel. In the latter case, the port 42 would communicate with the port 32 during the first part of the downward travel of the plunger I8 after 7 covering the port or ports 43. It is also to be noted that the barrel I1 is being turned omits seat during the time the pressure in the pump chamber is insufliclent to move the valved end seat and that the valved end of the barrel leaves its seat for diiferent periods for-different adjustments thereof and thus. reseats itself in different positions. Both of these factors tend to keep the seating surfaces wiped "clean and from becoming coated with flue foreign matter that maybe present in the fuel; It is also to be noted that the turnIng of the barrel I'I relative to the plate 23 and at its outlet end in contact therewithtends to keep fuel passages at the head end of the barrel from becoming clogged. It is furtherto'bef noted that when operating at high speed the turning of the grooved of the discharge valve end of 'the injector for long periods of time without inspection and the preventing of the clogging of the spray passages or passages leading thereto which may be relatively large without impairlng an eflicient spraying action.

Some advantages of the invention may be obtained where the pump barrel is intermittently turnedeither through the mediation of a governor or the operator, and in Figs. 10 to 13 I have shown an injector which has these advantages. In this modification the numeral 61 designates a casing,68-a pump barrel, 69 a pump plunger working in said barrel, I0 a gear slidably splined at I0 to the upper end of said barrel and meshing with a rack bar II slidably guided in the casing 61, I2 an apertured spring plate, I3 a nozzle member, I4 a, casing member having threaded engagement with the casing 61 and flanged to clamp the disk I2 and the member I3 between it and the end of said casing, and I5 a return spring for the plunger interposed between the casing and the flanged top of. the plunger follower I6.

The casing 61 is atubular member having stepped bores 11 and I8 extending lengthwise thereof with a recessed valve seat I9 formed at the lower end of the bore I8, and spaced ports 80 and 8| communicating through suitable passages with the supply or overflow connections 82 and 83. The gear I0 rotates in the bore 11 and seats on the shoulder formed between the two bores of said casing and is held against lengthwise movement with respect thereto by a pin 84 mounted in said casing.

The pump barrel is a tubular member rotatably and slidably mounted in the bore I8 and having a valve flange 85 at its lower end seating on the seat "I9, a centrally disposed bore 86 [in which the plunger works and ports 81 and 88 adapted to register with'the ports 8| and- 80, and has an angular recess 89 adjacent the flange 85. The lower end of the barrel is closed oi as in the first described construction by a plug-90 having a fluid tight fit in the outer end of the bore 86, and passages connect the interior of said bore with the recess 89, these passages being formed by a transverse bore 9| through the barrel and plug anda bore 92 in said plug intersecting the bore 9|.

Any suitable meteringcontrol arrangement for changing the amount of fuel delivered by the pump by the relative rotation of the pump plunger and barrel may be used. and for illustration 5 I have shown the lower end portion of the pump plunger provided with a transverse bore 93, an

over travel relief portion 94 atone end .of said bore, and a longitudinally extending bore 95 intersecting the bore 93. The port 68 in the barrel is of triangular form as shown in Fig. 12 so as to form a variable by-pass cooperating with one end of the bore 93 to by-pass fuel from the pump at diflferent portions of he stroke of the plunger depending upon the angular position of the port 88 relative to the bore 93.

The discharge valve end of this injector is yieldingly held to its seat by thecentrally apertured spring plate 12 which bears adjacent its central 6 opening 96 against the plug portion of thev alve head end of the barrel which portion projects slightly beyond the othen parts of the'head so as to provide a slight clearance indicated at 91 clamped in position by the member 14, the plate I2 is put under a predetermined tensionmA transverse passage 98 formed by a groove in the .plug is provided between the plate I2 and the plug 90 to connect the space 9! with opening 96,"

and the walls of the nozzle member I3 are inclined slightly adjacent the plate to allow the plate to be tensioned and to flex slightly when the valved end of the barrel opens.

The nozzle membenI3 is here shown as of the multiple jet type having a central passage 99,

plunger moving past said port. This by-passing permits air to be expelled from the pump chamber, and when the relief 94 passes the port 81-, pressure is built up in said chamber and acts against the pressure of the spring I2 and the gases in the cylinder to move thebarrel'downward to open the valved end thereof and allow fuel to pass around the valve head, and between said head and plate I2 to the opening 96 and the passage and thence through the spray openings to the engine until the port 93 registers with a part ofthe port 88 to establish connection with the supply or overflow, and the pressure in the pump chamber then drbps and the valve end of the barrel reseats itself. Thereafter, the plunger 69 returns to its initial position shown in Fig. 10. Since during the operation of the engine, particularly where the same is operating under variable loads, it is necessary to turn the barrel 61 so as'to bring the relief into different positions relative to the port 88, this turning of the valve relative to its seat I9 will help in keeping the seating surfaces clean as compared, to, a straight reciprocatory valve. 4

It is also to be understood that the discharge arrangement of the first construction may be used in this modified form so that the plate I2 alone forms the nozzle member. In Fig. 14 another discharge arrangement is shown in which the rotatable tubular Dump barrel I02 may be similar to either the barrel II or 68 as regards its metering functions and similarly mounted in a casing I03similar to either the casing I6 or 61 and having a bore I04 in which the pump plunger works,-a valved end edge against the end of the casing I03 by the flanged end of the member -II2, this flange H3 sloping slightly to the bore III. With this construction when the fuel pressure within the pump bore through the passages H4 and H5,

pump chamber moves the valved end of the barrl I05 oflf its seat, the fuel passes from the recess I I6, past the valve and between the valved head of the barrel and the plate H0, through ,slots Ill formed inthe end of the plug which may be tangentially disposed similar to the slots 64 and then through the passage provided between the pintle I08 and-the openings I09 and ill.

It is to be noted in the above constructions that the central portion of the valved end of the barrel is at all times in contact with the spring plate and that the barrel only has a slight longitudinal movement.v This contact serves to con-' duct heat away fromlthe spring plate to prevent its overheating, and where the plug is made separate, it may be made of metal with especially good conducting properties, such as beryllium more, the barrel may on its outward movement contact the spring plate beyond its center and be provided with grooves at these contacting points.

VVhile in the construction shown in Fig. 10 the barrel is turned to different positions to control the metering, it will be appreciated that some of the advantages of the discharge arrangements here shown may be realized where the pump plunger is turned instead of the barrel to regulate the metering.

Reference is here made to my copending applications Serial No. 63,576, filed February 12, 1936, for Fuel pump, filed October 24, 1936, for Fuel pump for internal combustion engines, for matter shown but not specifically claimed herein.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the claims.-

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a fuel injector, the combination of a casinghaving a supply port, a pump barrel mounted to turn and reciprocate in said casing and provided with an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end.

seating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger recip rocating in-said barrel, means to turn said barrel during the operation of the engine, and means to normally hold the valved end of said barrel against its seat.

2. In a fuel injector, the combination of a casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted to turn. and reciprocate in said casing and provided with. an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger reclprocating in said barrel, means to turn said barrel during the operation of the engine, and an apertured spring plate secured to said casing and bearing'against the valved end 01'- said barrel to exert a closing pressure thereon and provide a discharge passage." i

' 3. In a fuelinjector, the combination 'ofa' casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted to lam and reciprocate in said casing and provided with an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on said casing and controlling the v discharge of fuelfrom said barrel, a plunger reand Serial No. 107,305, g

ciprocating in said barrel, means to turn said barrel during the operation of the engine, a centrally apertured spring plate secured to said casing and bearing against the valved end of said barrel to exert a closing pressure thereon, and a nozzle member having a discharge opening communicating with the aperture in said plate.

4. In a fuel injector, the combination of, a casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted to turn and reciprocate in said casing and provided with-an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved endseating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger reciprocating in said barrel, means to turn said barrel during the operation of the engine, an

apertured spring nozzle member secured to said casing and bearing against the valved end of and provided with an inletport communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on saidcasing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger reciprocating in said barrel, means to tum said barrel during the operation of the engine, a centrally apertured spring plate secured to said casing and bearing against the valved end of said barrel to exert a closing pressure thereon, a nozzle member having a discharge opening communicating with the aperture in said plate, and a pin projection on the valved end of said barrel working in said nozzle member and cooperating therewith to control the character of the fuel spray. i

, 6. In a fuel injector, the combination of a casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted in said casing to reciprocate relative thereto and provided with an inlet port communicating with casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted in said casing to reciprocate relative thereto and provided with an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel,

a plunger reciprocating in said barrel, a centrally apertured spring plate secured to said casing and bearing against the valved end of said barrel to exert a closing pressure thereon, and a nozzle member having a discharge opening communicating iththe aperture in said plate. v

8. In a fuel inJector, the] combination of a casinghaving a supply port, a pump barrel mounted in said casing to reciprocate relative thereto and provided with an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger reciprocating in said barrel, a centrally apertured spring plate secured to said casing and bearing against the valved end of said barrel to exert a closing pressure thereon, a

nozzle member having a discharge opening communicating with the aperture in said plate, and a pin projection on the valved end of said barrel working in said nozzle member and cooperating therewith to control the character of the fuel spray,

9. In a fuel injector, the combination of a casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted to turn and reciprocate in said casing and provided with an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger reciprocating in said barrel, means to oscillate said barrel during each cycle of movement of said plunger, and means to normally hold the valved end of said barrel against its seat.

10. In a fuel injector, the combination of a casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted to turn and reciprocate in said casing and provided with an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger reciprocating in said barrel, means to oscillate said barrel during each cycle ofmovement of said plunger, and a centrally apertured spring plate secured to said casing and bearing against the valved end of said barrel to exert a closing pressure thereon.

11. In a fuel injector, the combination of a casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted to turn and reciprocate in said casing and provided with an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger reciprocating in said barrel, means to oscillate said barrel during each cycle of movement of said plunger, an apertured spring nozzle member secured to said casing and bearing against the valved end of said barrel to exert a closing pressure thereon and cooperating therewith to determine in general the' spray characteristics of said nozzle member. 7

12 In a fuel injector, the combination of a casing having a supply port, a pump barrel mounted to turn and reciprocate in said casing and provided with an inlet port communicating with said supply port and having a closed valved end seating on said casing and controlling the discharge of fuel from said barrel, a plunger reciprocating in said barrel, means to oscillate said barrel during each cycle of movement of said plunger, a centrally apertured spring plate secured to said casing and bearing against the valved end of said barrel to exert a closing pressurethereon, and a nozzle member having a discharge opening communicating with the aperture in said plate.

LOUIS O. FRENCH. 

